Relatório de Estágio: Exercício Físico na Terceira Idade em diferentes contextos

Abstract

Aging is a process that inflicts physical, psychological and social changes with a cutback on these abilities, leading to a decrease in terms of health, functionality, quality of life and welfare (Spirduso et al, 2005). This internship, within the framework of the 2nd year of the 2nd cycle in Physical Activity for the Third Age from Faculdade de Desporto da Universidade do Porto (FADEUP), had the goal of applying an exercise program to four different groups of elderly, with the purpose of providing them better quality of life, functionality and well-being. This report aims to describe the experiences I have lived throughout my professional internship, which lasted from October 2017 to June 2018. We have developed a work alongside four different groups: a) two groups of control, one composed by independent seniors and another one by dependent and institutionalized seniors, who were submitted to very low intensity ludic classes in order to keep them motivated for future physical exercise; b) one group of multicomponent training, composed by fully independent seniors able to perform all tasks and c) a group diagnosed with slight to moderate stage of Alzheimer Disease (AD), where a multicomponent work was also established, aiming all the capabilities compromised by aging. So that we could adapt to the characteristics, needs and pathologies of each group, different training prescriptions were actually developed. We have used the facilities of FADEUP and Centro de dia do Cerco. After applying the Senior Fitness Test, before and after training, we perceived that multicomponent physical exercise programs lead to an improvement of several components of physical fitness. This internship was remarkably important for both my personal and professional growth and development, turning all the challenges that came across my path a way of allowing me to be able to meet the requirements which sports professionals for this age range need to face.